A diet rich in fish, olive oil, yogurt and veggies common in Mediterranean cuisine might help ward off mild cognitive impairment, according to a new study that also suggests such a diet lowers the risk of moving from such mild decline to Alzheimer’s disease, as reported by the Gannett News Service

The study, reported in the journal Archives of Neurology, looked at 1,393 people with healthy brains and 482 with mild cognitive impairment. Among its findings: Over an average of 4½ years of follow-up, 275 of the 1,393 participants who didn’t have mild cognitive impairment developed the condition. Those who had the highest adherence to a Mediterranean diet had a 28 percent lower risk of developing mild impairment than those who strayed farthest from the diet.

“We know from previous research that a healthy diet like this is protective for cardiovascular risk factors like cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes,” says Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas of Columbia University Medical Center in New York. “Now, this current study shows it may help brain function, too.”

Health care providers everywhere will be sure to look into the findings of this study over the course of the next few months, as the search continues for new dietary innovations to be made for the millions of people out there looking to fend off illness and live a better life.